Outline

Neuropsychology: How the Brain with Autism Works

• Latest research in ASD brain development
• Comorbid disorders and symptoms
• Enhanced vs. impaired abilities
• Information processing: Typical brain vs. brain with autism
• How an individual with ASD processes tasks

Assessments: From Observational to Standardized Tools

• Comprehensive diagnostic tools and evaluations
• Screeners for anxiety, depression, OCD
• Career planning assessments
• Modified checklists for infants and toddlers
• Accurately interpret reports to guide interventions
• Ethical challenges in assessment and communication of diagnosis

TAKE YOUR AUTISM INTERVENTION TO THE NEXT LEVEL!

Effectively Intervene Early

• Applied Behavioral Analysis to break down targeted skills
• Developmental interventions to express feelings and form relationships
• Educational interventions for parents
• Ethical principles to educate and support families in treatment choices
• Case study: 2-year-old boy, working on verbal requests

Strengthen Communication and Social Interaction Skills

• Visual systems to improve communication and reduce meltdowns
• Teach turn-taking and pragmatic language
• Programs to assist in generalizing social skills
• Video modeling and role play to teach social rules
• Social stories and social autopsies
• Special interests to change unwanted or inappropriate behavior
• Case study: 8-year-old male, competitive, difficulty losing at games, aggressive with peers

Manage Sensory Overload and Self-Stimulatory Behaviors

• Exposure to more appropriate self-stimulatory behaviors
• Fading out severe self-stimulatory behaviors
• Environmental strategies including classroom modifications
• Case study: 6-year-old female, hand flapping, rocking, and high-pitch squealing sounds

Decode ADHD and Executive Functioning in ASD

• Improve attention, on-task and organizational skills
• Schedules, timelines, web diagramming
• How to provide more preferred tasks vs. less preferred tasks
• “Home base” to help organize in classroom
• Case study: 11-year-old male, difficulty planning/ organizing, needs help with social pragmatic language skills

Decrease Undesirable Physical, Verbal and Other Inappropriate Behaviors

• Turn noncompliance and oppositional behavior around
• Applied behavioral analysis techniques
• Token economy systems
• Functional behavioral assessment made easy
• Case study: 10-year old male, impulsive, engages in stealing behaviors

Manage Anxiety and Specific Phobias

• Cognitive Behavioral and Coping Cat Training
• Recognize emotional and physical reactions to anxiety
• Clarifying thoughts and feelings in anxious situations
• Develop plans for effective coping
• Evaluate performance and giving self-reinforcement
• Case study: 9-year old male, generalized anxiety disorder, and school phobia

Decrease Obsessive-Compulsive Behaviors

• Decipher symptoms of OCD vs ASD
• CBT and Exposure and Response Prevention
• Mapping OCD
• Creating the exposure hierarchy
• Relapse prevention and family sessions
• Case study: 22-year old female, excessive hand washing with fear of illness

Reduce Depressive Symptoms and Suicidal Ideation

• Psychosocial interventions: Experiential activities with practice time
• Cognitive-behavioral therapies
• Mindfulness-based therapies
• Family therapies
• Social and vocational programs
• Case study: 15-year-old male, hates school and has a plan, intent, and timeline for suicide

Sexuality and Sexual Behavior Challenges

• Body awareness and exploration of self
• Sexual arousal, puberty and sex education
• Address dating and sexual relationships
• Education on masturbation and pornography
• Gender Identity and LGBTQ
• Case study: 14-year-old male, frequent masturbation and stalking behaviors

Psychopharmacological Interventions

• Commonly prescribed medications
• Medication efficacy
• Risks vs. benefits
• Case study: 17-year-old male, flat affect, on medication for ADHD and anxiety

Special Considerations

• Trauma: Similarities and differences with ASD
•  Independent living and career planning
• Guardianship and legal Issues
• Multicultural and gender differences
• Limitations of research and potential risks
• Case study: 5-year-old male, adopted overseas with no birth or developmental history
• Case Study: 19-year-old female, living at home with mom, no job, and never diagnosed with ASD

Ethical Challenges in Autism

• Guidelines for assessment, treatment, and consultation
• Welfare of the individual Informed consent
• Use of restraints
• Time-out vs. seclusion
• Case study: 8-year-old-male, screaming, standing on top of table with scissors in his hand